Changing the world, one game at a time

Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, this new game is an online adventure that aims to reach mainstream audiences to raise both awareness and donations to empower women and girls around the world.

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The groundbreaking Facebook game introduces direct virtual-to-real-life translation, achieved by inviting players to move through a series of quests and stories related to real-world challenges that women and girls face, with issue-specific solutions provided by seven non-profit organizations, including World Vision. All revenue is directed toward charitable causes.

Half the Sky Movement: The Game is the latest addition to the cross-media platform of the Half the Sky Movement, which includes the #1 New York Times bestselling book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, and a critically acclaimed primetime PBS television series. Inspired by the book and TV series, the game invites players to become part of the solution and make a real-world impact through play.

Half the Sky Movement: The Game.

For its creators, the goal of the game is to reach a broader audience for these vital, real-world issues, hoping that the Facebook medium proves to be a fun and viral way to do so.

Kristof and WuDunn acknowledge that the game is an experiment, as there has never been a social-purpose game with this much collective effort before -- but that’s what makes the game exciting and groundbreaking. This purpose-driven effort makes a difference to players, who can see at every step of the game’s quests the real-life impact their play is having -- and the difference it makes to women and girls around the world.

Players embark on a global journey -- beginning in India, then moving on to Kenya, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, and finally ending in the United States. Along the way, players meet different characters and take simple actions, which unlock funds from the game’s sponsors to make direct impact, including the opportunity to support World Vision job training programs for girls and women.

On Monday, when Half the Sky Movement: The Game launched to the public, $500,000 from sponsors was already available for players to unlock by completing challenges and quests in the game. Players can also choose to make personal donations to any of the game’s non-profit partners at any point throughout the game.

International Women’s Day is coming up on Friday, March 8. To honor this day, World Vision, Games for Change, and the Half the Sky Movement invite you to play, explore, and share this amazing new game that will allow you to make a real difference in the world.